Focus on biolabs and technology in Seattle. For more info check out labwatch.org and nobioterrorlab.com.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Labwatch 2007 Year-end Wrap-up

Time for a wrap-up of the past years biolab related news. Below are themajor themes that emerged this year with related article links.U.W. on probationIn February in anticipation of documents being released to the public, the University of Washington leaked to the press that their animalresearch programs had been put on probation during November ofthe previous year. The nine page report listed numerous violations,many stemming from the UW’s lack of maintenance dating back morethan 20 years. Additionally the report identified a lack of internaloversight of the UW's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee(IACUC).

Citizen opposition to biolabs spreading across U.S.Across the U.S. citizen groups are forming in opposition to existing andproposed biolabs. From Boston to Berkeley and Seattle to Durham,citizens are organizing vocal opposition to building dangerous labs intheir communities.

Texas A&M Biodefense program shut down (for now)In July Texas A&M had their biodefense program shut down by the CDCfor a long list of previously unreported violations. Documents dug up byThe Sunshine Project (www.sunshine-project.org) and released to thepublic revealed multiple exposures to lab personnel over a period offour years. This marks the first time that a federally funded biodefenseprogram has been shut down by CDC.

Accidents much worse than previously reportedAn investigation by the Associated Press revealed in October that U.S.biolabs had more than 100 accidents and missing shipments since 2003,and that numbers were increasing steadily as more labs began biodefensework.

Proposed regulations for Seattle biolabsIn 2005 the Northeast District Council recommended that the City ofSeattle establish citizen oversight of existing labs. In response we nowhave a proposed set of regulations for biolabs, based on those successfullyadopted in Boston.http://labwatch.org/docs/seattlebioregs.pdfWhat can you do?Your individual support can be the difference between a city filledwith unregulated high-containment biolabs versus a city where citizensmake the decisions that affect their health and safety. Though regulationsare not the end-all solution to neighborhoods dealing with potentiallyhazardous facilities, we believe it’s an important first step in bringing backcitizen oversight and control to our community. Please ask groups youbelong to (especially neighborhood councils) to endorse our proposedregulations.